Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Pareidolia is a Cognitive Illusion

Pareidolia is a the tendency to see faces in inanimate objects. This neuropsychological phenomenon is sometimes called a cognitive illusion - whereby our eyes see something and our mind interprets its structure. The result is the experience of seeing something that really is not there.

Have some fun and see if you can find the faces in these photos. My favorite is the face of the dog in the clouds. Which is yours?

I think my mind is prone to this. I remember when I was really young, we had put pink insulation in between our window panes, and i could swear I saw a burning at the stake kind of image. That haunted me for the winter, and then ever since. There are a lot of times where I see people or faces in nothing. Creepy.

About Me

A psychologist and practicing psychoanalyst, Dr. Deborah Serani specializes in treating trauma and depression. Information provided in this blog is to be used for educational purposes only. It should NOT be used as a substitute for therapy.